A method for making an aerogel includes the steps of a) soaking a wet gel having a liquid phase in at least one solvent to substantially replace the liquid phase in the wet gel with the solvent to form a soaked gel; b) freezing the soaked gel to form a frozen gel; and c) drying the frozen gel in a vacuum chamber to form an aerogel.

A method for producing an article having a novel metal gloss which does not use a solvent when forming an article having metallic luster, and a toner for metallic luster color and a printing method using the same.

Poly(aryl alkylene) polymers or poly(aryl-crown ether-alkylene) polymers with pendant cationic groups are provided which have an alkaline-stable cation, such as imidazolium, introduced into a rigid aromatic polymer backbone free of ether bonds. Hydroxide exchange membranes or hydroxide exchange ionomers formed from these polymers exhibit superior chemical stability, hydroxide conductivity, decreased water uptake, good solubility in selected solvents, and improved mechanical properties in an ambient dry state as compared to conventional hydroxide exchange membranes or ionomers. Hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells and hydroxide exchange membrane electrolyzers comprising the poly(aryl alkylene) polymers or poly(aryl-crown ether-alkylene) polymers with pendant cationic groups exhibit enhanced performance and durability at relatively high temperatures.

Foam compositions are provided. The compositions are prepared from multi-functional acetoacetate esters and multi-functional amines or acrylates. The foam compositions can include one or more additives. The foam compositions can be used for home and commercial insulation, air sealing, sound proofing, structural improvement, and exterior roofing, among other applications. The foam compositions provide advantages of being isocyanate free and offer reduced exposure to isocyanate.

Pure conducting hydrogel precursors and hydrogels formed of pure conducting polymer materials having a combination of high electrical conductivity, high stretchability, low Young's modulus, superior mechanical, electrical and electrochemical stability, and tunable swelling behaviors in wet physiological environments. The hydrogel precursors and hydrogels are fabricated by adding a polar organic solvent to an aqueous solution of the pure conducting polymer material, followed by controlled dry-annealing to form a hydrogel precursor which can be subsequently rehydrated to form a pure conducting polymer hydrogel which comprises at least 99% of the pure conducting polymer.

Provided is a phase difference film formed of a resin containing a polymer having crystallizability, and having an NZ factor of less than 1. A production method of the phase different film includes: bonding a second film to one or both surfaces of a first film formed of a resin containing the polymer having crystallizability and having a glass transition temperature Tg ( C.) and a melting point Tm ( C.), to obtain a third film, the second film having a shrinkage percentage in at least one direction at (Tg +30) C. of 5% or more and 50% or less; heating the third film to Tg C. or higher and (Tg+3) C. or lower to obtain a fourth film; and heating the fourth film to (Tg+50) C. or higher and (Tm40) C. or lower.

A biomedical electrode which is detachably attached to a garment and includes: an electrode coming into contact with a living body clothed in the garment to acquire a biological signal emitted by the living body; and a locked section which is conductive, is electrically connected to the electrode, is detachably locked to a locking section which is conductive and is provided in the garment, and is electrically connected to the locking section when locked to the locking section.

A method of forming a void, channel and/or vascular network in a polymeric matrix comprises providing a pre-vascularized structure that includes a matrix material and a sacrificial material embedded in the matrix material in a predetermined pattern, where the matrix material comprises a monomer and the sacrificial material comprises a polymer. A region of the matrix material is activated to initiate an exothermic polymerization reaction and generate a self-propagating polymerization front. As the polymerization front propagates through the matrix material and polymerizes the monomer, heat from the exothermic reaction simultaneously degrades the sacrificial material into a gas-phase and/or liquid-phase byproduct. Thus, one or more voids or channels having the predetermined pattern are rapidly formed in the matrix material.

Provided is an expansive refractory material that not only has excellent fire resistance but also can provide a heat insulating function for protecting a content by expanding to form a heat insulating layer when the refractory material is brought close to a heat source or comes into contact with flame. The refractory material at least includes: discontinuous reinforcing fibers having a thermal conductivity of 4 W/(m.Math.K) or higher; and a flame-retardant thermoplastic resin, wherein the discontinuous reinforcing fibers are dispersed in the refractory material. The refractory material has a post-expansion porosity of 30% or higher.

An electroconductive film including a substrate film, and an organic electroconductive layer disposed on the substrate film, wherein the substrate film is formed of a resin containing an alicyclic structure-containing polymer having crystallizability, a thickness of the substrate film is 5 m or more and 50 m or less, and a crystallization degree of the alicyclic structure-containing polymer having crystallizability is 30% or more. The alicyclic structure-containing polymer having crystallizability is preferably a hydrogenated product of a ring-opening polymer of dicyclopentadiene.